Cheesecake shop banking on success in Bridgeport’s Arcade mall

Published 2:04 pm, Monday, March 20, 2017

Sandra Williams stands in front of a case of her many cheesecake varieties at La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

Sandra Williams stands in front of a case of her many cheesecake varieties at La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

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Sandra Williams waits on customer Monica Ropiza as she picks out a slice of cheesecake at La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017. less

Sandra Williams waits on customer Monica Ropiza as she picks out a slice of cheesecake at La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, ... more

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

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One of the unoccupied storefronts in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

One of the unoccupied storefronts in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

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The new La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

The new La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

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A case full of Sandra Williams' homemade cheesecake varieties at La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

A case full of Sandra Williams' homemade cheesecake varieties at La Signature Cheesecakes in the Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

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The Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

The Arcade Mall at 1001 Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, March 16, 2017.

Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

Cheesecake shop banking on success in Bridgeport’s Arcade mall

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BRIDGEPORT — Sandra Williams had her eye on a space within the Arcade mall for over a year before she was offered a lease.

“It’s beautiful and it’s historic,” Williams said of the downtown building. “I just love the atmosphere.”

The Bronx resident said she had looked at spaces in New York City first but discarded other options when she saw the inside of the Arcade. She opened her store, La Signature Cheesecakes, recently in a space formerly occupied by a cupcake shop.

Despite the number of businesses that have tried and failed to make their business work within the renovated building, Williams said she is confident her business will thrive. “It’s not your ordinary cheesecake,” she said.

From Oreo cheesecakes to mango pies and the popular red velvet desserts, Williams said she is always coming up with new recipes and adding to her offerings. The oversized slices cost $6 each or entire cheesecakes can be purchased starting at $16 for a 6-inch cheesecake.

Although she has been baking for years, Williams began coming up with her own cheesecake recipes less than two years ago. “I was sowing seeds (by) giving them away and people started placing orders,” she said. “People were like, ‘Where is your bakery?’”

Monica Ropiza, who works at the nearby Dunkin Donuts, said she stopped in recently and bought a whole cherry cheesecake. It was so good, it didn’t last very long, she said.

“I’m going to come here all the time,” Ropiza said.

Another customer and downtown employee, Mark Bogues, said he’s seen businesses come and go in the Arcade over the last six years, including a pharmacy, grocery store and restaurant. But he said he’s convinced Williams has a model that will work.

Bogues said he’s tried three different varieties of her cheesecakes and loved them all.

“I do believe her business will survive and thrive here,” he said.

Although the cheesecakes were the reason for pursuing a business, Williams also specializes in wedding and birthday cakes and accepts orders for all kinds of designs. In the display cases in her shop, Williams often has other dessert options, as well, including a variety of cupcake flavors.

More recently, she added a daily lunch special to her food offerings, which were limited at first to chicken and beef patties. Williams, who is from Jamaica, said those were so popular she began to receive customer requests for Jamaican cuisine.

She now offers one lunch option a day, like curried chicken, barbecue chicken or curried goat, served with rice and beans or steamed vegetables. Williams said she has asked customers to order in advance so she can make sure to have enough food available.

Williams, who runs the business with her daughter, Kaydene, said she has been looking to hire an employee. “Sometimes it gets real busy in here,” she said.

She said she has found that putting a sign outside the mall building advertising her business, which has no outside signage, has drawn customers in. “The very first day I opened it was flooded and it has not ceased,” Williams said.